Through sacred tradition, we learn that no sooner had Jesus ascended to the Father and Mary assumed into heaven did God decide to send Our Lady back to her earthly children. It seems that our Heavenly Father, who loves us so, knew how much we needed a mother.

The Feast Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe is a big event in the Coachella Valley. Thousands gathered at Our Lady of Solitude Catholic Church in Palm Springs for a mass at 4:00 a.m., then, set off on a 35 mile pilgrimage in honor of the Patroness of the Americas. The spiritual journey to Our Lady of Soledad Church in Coachella takes over 12 hours.

The annual "Walk with Mary" event brings together people of all ages and backgrounds, but it is a particularly special event for the Hispanic Catholic community. The apparition of Our Lady of Guadalupe, which is commemorated during her feast, took place in 1531 in present-day Mexico.

The vigil began with testimonies on the importance of the mother of Christ and a procession of delegations from Marian shrines around the world bearing local representations of Mary, including Italy’s Our Lady of Pompeii and Mexico’s Our Lady of Guadalupe.

Father Eduardo Chavez, Canon of the Basilica of the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, will speak on the topic “Holiness in the Time of Pope Francis.” He will draw on the example of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

Despite Los Angeles being dedicated to the Virgin Mary in name, the Big Avocado only has 23 out of its 104 churches actually dedicated to her honor. The Big Apple, however, a city that has never been associated with sanctity or godliness, has 92 churches set aside for Mary.

Public rally and rosary in Ohio with talks and reflections. Benedictine Father Paschal Petcavage reminded rally attendees that the Blessed Mother gave us the Rosary to bring us closer to God and to stave off the wiles of Satan. He urged the crowd to use this powerful weapon to pray for the United States: “That may very well be the salvation of our country."

Youth gathered listened to hear stories of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Our Lady of Lourdes and Our Lady of the Snows. Then, walking behind banners depicting these three titles given to Mary at different times in history and places in the world, the group prayed the rosary.